Veep Sheet: There's an app for that

Welcome to your mid-week Veep Sheet. Mitt Romney is back in the country, and as he said last week, it’s possible that a vice presidential choice could emerge in the next few days. Conventional wisdom, though, says he’ll wait until after the Olympics so the announcement doesn’t get overshadowed.

One thing we do know: According to his campaign, the first people to hear about the decision will be … those with the right smartphone app. The campaign announced yesterday that it’s unveiling an app called “Mitt’s VP” that will alert users to Romney’s announcement. With the exception of “maybe Ann,” the candidate’s wife, the app’s users will be the first to find out, the campaign promise.

Until then, we’ve got you covered with everything else you need to know about the veepstakes. Today, there’s a lot of news about two pols widely considered to be off the shortlist — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte — while there’s less buzz about former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Send tips our way: kglueck@politico.com.

Rob Portman

Presumed frontrunner? That’s the term Chris Cillizza uses to describe the Ohio senator while making his case for Portman. Among Cillizza’s arguments: Portman “oozes competence,” he brings some foreign policy expertise to the table and if Portman could deliver his home state, that would provide a crucial win for Romney. In sum:

“While Portman is never going to be the national rock star that a Marco Rubio or Chris Christie might be as VP, the expectations for him to be even vaguely interesting are so in­cred­ibly low that he will almost certainly exceed them.

“Combine his deep resume with a sympathetic more-interesting-than-you-think narrative and Portman may well be the perfect Romney pick.”

In the wake of London, and Israel, and Poland, where the coverage of Romney’s visit was often dominated by his gaffes, Portman could bring some foreign policy credibility to the ticket, Caren Bohan of National Journal argues:

“Portman’s experience as Trade Representative and on the Armed Services Committee do not make him an expert on U.S.-Russian relations, the Middle East conflict or on global hot spots like Afghanistan and Pakistan but his past portfolio negotiating trade agreements would enable him to provide advice to Romney on some of the nuances of diplomacy. While there are candidates who might bring more charisma than Portman, the Ohio senator has an air of gravitas that could serve the Republican ticket well.

“…The fallout from the overseas trip, in which Romney raised the ire of Britons by questioning their preparedness for the Olympics and infuriated Palestinians with a comment in Israel, probably won’t be decisive in a presidential election that will hinge on the economy.

“Still, perceptions of a lack of readiness on foreign policy can translate into voter doubts about leadership more generally. That’s why choosing a broadly experienced No. 2 like Portman could be to Romney’s advantage.”